A HEART'S TRIUMPH.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9150, 24 July 1908, Page 2

A HEART'S TRIUMPH.

By Effle Adelaide Rowlands, Author of "Hugh Grefcton's Secret," "A Splendid Heart," ''Bravo Birb.ri" "The Temptation of Mary Burr," "Soli na's Love Story," eta.

CHAPTER XXII.

A BRAVE MAN'S ANXIETY

The servant looked after him in amazement. Usually Felix was a suave and agreeable master, and his servants waited on him with pleasure, but to-night's anger was a revelation.

"I knew there was something in the air," the man confided to the housekeeper. "Of course, I recognised her at once. She's the girl as dances at the concert-hall, and a flier she is; but I did think the master had his head too well screwed on to go and get into difficutlies with one of that sort. She looked fairly craved, with her eyes staring and her cheeks all white. Some one did tell me shs drank, and a nice business it'll be. for mo keeping her out of this house. I only hope she won't rouse the neighbourhood; but one never knows what an angry woman will do. I'd rather it were master as had to deal with her and hot I, and that's the simple truth." 1 , Cecil was too exhausted to .leave her room the day following that most painful visit to Paul Darnley's house. Darnley drove up to Maida Vale quite early, and he ssw iwth Michae' and His mother. Michael noted instantly the worn, indescribably changed look in the early visitor. Paul, indeed, 0 okert aB though , ten years had been added to bis life since ihe previous pay. Michael knowing no other reason for such a. change, attributed it to the shock of the news Cecil had given hini the evening before; and, sihce this news had carried such heavy, devastating sorrow to his Own heart, he did not find it strange that Paul should share that sorrow, even though he knew that his heart had a deeper feeling for all that concerned the girl than Paul's could ever have. The business of immediate action was discussed between the Iwj men, and Mrs Everest was present. "I feel now," Paul said, as she would have withdrawn, "that Miss Lacklyns couict have no truer friend than you have been, and this is a moment when the hearts of such friends as she ; possesses must knit together to come to her aid." Mrs Everest proved more practical than Was customary with her. She went to the pith of the matter? "You believe then, that this marriage can be annulled, Mr Darnlay?" she asked. 1

Paul answered with deliberation : "Yes, But, of course," he added, "my opinion is, Valueless, and is based only on precedent. lam going fnm hsre to Bulstrode, the Lacklyne lawyer, and with him- shall then go . direcfc.to the solicitor-general. I remamberhe; had the handling of a - Bimilar a few years ago,although no case can be quite similar to this, for few women have been reared so uttcrlydgnorant of all worldly customs and knowledge as this poor child has been. I should have liked to see he? this morning, but if she is sleeping ive will not disturb her. I need gcircely ask you, Mrs Everest, to prevent any possibility of Doctor Bingham coining in contact with her. Somehow, I don't think 'he will re- " s)rt to violence. He builds on the strength of his position, and is content to wait. lam truly sorry for that good old man down at Winchester. His Wart will be wrung when he knows the true nature of ; thiguaephew he has adored so unwisely. The whole business has been a tartible revolution to me," Paul adied, in a low, weary voice. Mrs Everest's face had flushed. "I, too, am deeply sorry for Sebastian," she said simply. "You will be surprised, I know,, to hear that Doc- " tor Thorold is my brother, Mr Darn ley; we have been separated and alienated for manv years now, and i 3jjnetiir.ea I fear he may have forgotten me. A great enemy worked' ttlischitf between us, and the breach haa never been heiled. That enamy was Felix Bitfghara's father." Paul's worn look dropped from him for a moment, then a gleam of pleasure came in his eyes. "What you tell me gladdens me -indeed, Mrs EVerest, for if Doctor Thorold must suffer through one nephew, lie will learn to know happiness again through another," He laid his hand affectionately on Michael's shoulder jig he spoke, and the mother's,flash 0/ delight mors than thanked hhr. At any other time Paul would have dwelt longer on this subject, but now the question of Cecil was too heavily fraught with anxiety to be put aside. 'She has cut herself off from her money to ensure her safety; but this isnot likely to be allowed," Paul - said. "I doubt, indeed, whether she has not a legal right to ail poor Lacklyne willed her, White Abbey excepted. If she w«re not his daugh- : ter, she passed *9 such for nineteen ; years of her life, audi'believe the Lacklyne family will insist on her taking up that Something must be 1 (tone," Mr Darnley added, as he rose to-go, and Michael accompanied birn to the gate; "something must be done to preserve the rtwinoy for her individual use, in event of her failing to upwt which God forbid! Tha 2a'o men clasped hands and parted, aiu!-Michael stood and watchel the cab that whirled Pmil out of : sight wit-bjj.'yes .that saw nothing but that vision of Cecil's white, angdish'ed |ac*3 staring 'up so hopelessly' intrf his own, The joy that would Imvo ta him muter olhev conditions tj have ken owitiluted "Lev guuvd- .. Jan, or he was the fcLjiii. before, was catpn up ..in the knowledge of th.3 ruthlsßS evil ihM had bte;i wrin her young life. ./ fits, pcnonal feeling in tin's ntnt\et wail not. pi'Omincnt; he grieved ■ fori C«iiun»ililshly. He.coild have wept a flood of bitter -tears when he ramembeved her as she had been, aril realised her as eho now was.

CHAPTER XXIII.

"GOD'S JUSTICE IS BROADER ■AND SWEETER THAN MAN'S,"

He dared not let himself think of Felix. In the best of all men there is an element of that animal fierceness which can carry the human passions to the verge of madness; so it was with Michael when the thought of Felix came. Had the man shown one grain of a strong, if selfish, devotion to the girl, the sorry story would have been bettered;, but Michael knew that such a creature as Cecil was not the woman to hold ths spirit of a man so dissolute as Felix Bingham, and that had she been a pauper when' fate threw them together, the man would not have given her a single thought. For her money, then, he had compassed the ruin of her life; for what wotild life have been for Cecil but desolation and ruin if fate had permitted her to pass more closely into his hands? As it was he had given her suffering which,.perhaps Michael alone could gauge to its fullest extent, for he alone had made the girl's nature a study, and had allied himself in thought and sympathy so closely with her as to know what would hurt and what would gladden her. Michael turned and went back to the house with slow steps. It wa3 a joy to him to realise that his little home was the haven to which this poor deceived and distraught child had turned, and that for the time, at least, he had the consolation of knowing she was safe. But what of the future? What if Paul Darnley's theories were all proved incorrect, and Felix Bingham were declared to be the lawful husband of Cecil Lacklyne? What was to be the outlook then? Michael was a brave man, but he dared not let himself picture the Cleaning of life to him in the future if this last thought should be proved true!

Paul Darnley was lucky enough to catch Mr Bulstrode-the senior partner in the legal firm that had had the workings of the Lacklyne affairs in their hands for so longr-before he had started for his office. They had r short interview, and Paul felt his heart rise a little as ha found that Mr Bulstrode was emphatically of his opinion that the marriage between Cecil and Felix Bingham could and would be annulled, if taken in hand by the proper authorities. "A clearer case of undue influence, of coercion, was never known," the lawyer said. "Of course, the man never counted on things developing in the way they have done, and yet, despite that, I ah; surprised he did not at leadt -attempt to make the bond more Becure. Had he induced Miss Lacklyne, for instance, to follow up by taking her proper place in his home as his wife—-a matter he could easily have arranged. seeing that his influence over her atithat time was so great—we should have found it practically impossible to have effected his release. But as he allowed her to leave him, and they have never met since, save for a few moments in your house yesterday^he has put himself and the position absolutely into our hands. (To be Continued).